Automatic machine for continuously winding up and lacing threadlike products such as bare or covered wires and cables to coils



Feb. 25, 1969 A TOSCA ET AL AUTOMATIC MACHINE FORXIONTINUOUSLY WINDINGUP AND LACING THREADLIKE PRODUCTS SUCH AS BARE OR COVERED WIRES ANDCABLES TO COILS Filed July 6, 1966 Sheet of 4 INVENTORS 4. game 0. m75421 y 6 1 05 Payaqi Mada we J fi r Feb. 25, 1969 A. ToscA ETAL3,429,346

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY WINDING UP AND LACING THREADLIKEPRODUCTS SUCH AS BARE OR COVERED WIRES AND CABLES TO COILS Filed July 6,1966 Sheet 2 of 4 Feb. 25, 1969 A. TOSCA ETAL 3,429,346

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY WINDING UP AND LACING THREADLIKEPRODUCTS SUCH AS BARE OR COVERED WIRES AND CABLES TO COILS Filed July 6,1966 Sheet 5 of 4 Feb. 25, 1969 A. ToscA ETAL 3,429,346

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY WINDING UP AND LACING THREADLIKEPRODUCTS SUCH AS BARE OR COVERED WIRES AND CABLES TO COILS Filed July 6,1966 Sheet 4 0f 4 I N VEN TORS Hi 112; m1 22m: q B l m- P): u a L UnitedStates Patent 6,673/ 65 US. Cl. 140-922 Int. Cl. B21t 3/04; B65h 81/00;H01f 41/06 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic machine forwinding up and lacing of wires, cables or the like in which a guidelever controlled by electrical contact means displaces the wire from awinder supporting a completed coil onto another coaxial winder which isstill empty and in which a guide provided with a cutter blade thenseparates the finished coil from the one which is being wound up.

It is known that electric cables of small and medium diameters and of acertain length are available on the market in the form of coils whichhitherto have been manufactured by means of winding machines whichoperate intermittently because they have to be stopped after the windingup of each coil in order to be able to lace and remove the cable byhand. This slows down the production process which as a consequencerequires a large number of workers for this particular operation ascompared with the entire manufacturing process of the product.

It is the object of the invention to gain time and eliminate all manualwork.

According to the present invention this object is attained in that themachine after having wound up the individual coils automatically passesover to the lacing operation by using plastic webs. During the lacingprocess and removal of the first coil the winding up of the second coilis carried out as long as the feeding of wire is continued from thebobbin or directly from the production machine.

An essential feature of the machine proposed by the invention consistsin that two heads are provided which are arranged coaxially andsymmetrically to each other in a horizontal plane. They each support awinder and rotate alternately in order to wind up the wire or cable.Both are either driven by one motor with two clutches or are separatelydriven by one motor each. As soon as one coil is nearly completed on oneof the coil winders the other winder is actuated, the two axes of thewinders being aligned. Anautomatic measuring device is switched on whenthe first coil is completely wound up. This is achieved by a contactmeans which causes a displacement of a guide lever for guiding the wirefrom the winder supporting the finished coil onto the empty winder. Thissimultaneously initiates the winding up of the second coil. During theaxial displacement of the guide lever the wire which still connects thetwo winders approaches a cutting device which comprises apart from acutting blade a sickle-shaped guide which guides the wire in the commonaxis of the two winders in such a manner that the wire in this positioncan only rotate about its own axis which rotation results from thesimultaneous rotation of the two winders. Thus the wire can run againstthe cutting device without the risk of being damaged or displaced. Afterthe cutting operation has been carried out the first "ice winder stops,whereas the second winder continues the winding operation. Then a lacingdevice starts operation and lays two or more windings around the coil inorder to prevent that it loosens or comes undone when being releasedfrom the winder. After the lacing has been effected.

the head is axially displaced further towards the outside of themachine, the coil being brought simultaneously from a cylindrical shapeto a conical shape. The radial arms which form the external sides of thewinder are simultaneously retracted through so that they are arranged inparallel with regard to the main axis of the machine and thus the coilis released by means of two rods which are constructed as withdrawingdevice. The winder runs against these two rods when being axiallydisplaced. Then the coil is dropped into a collector or onto a conveyorbelt.

After the removal of the laced coil the winder resumes its initialposition by carrying out an axial displacement in the direction oppositeto the displacement just performed and simultaneously expands its coilfrom the conical into the cylindrical shape and repeats the operation byrearranging the arms forming the core into vertical positions in orderto perform rotation and the winding up of a new coil. When the coilwhich has just been wound up is nearly finished, i.e. when only a fewmeters are missing to make up the predetermined length, a circuit isclosed by means of the measuring device which actuates the winder eg bymeans of a friction clutch 211? the coil has been removed from theWinder. After hav btained the exact length of the coil a secondcircuitis which causes the displacement of the wire guide from the winder justfilled to the other winder to be filled. Thus the operation is repeatedas described and continued as long as the wire is being fed.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of exampleand with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1/ a and 1/ b are schematic vertical elevational views, partly insection, of the entire construction of the machine according to theinvention;

FIGS. 2, 2/41 and 2/ b' show the path-of the wire from a storage reel ora production machine to the head of the winder through the intermediaryof a measuring and counting device, a compensator and collector beinginserted;

FIG. 3 is a detail of a sickle-shaped guide provided with a cuttingblade;

FIGS. 4 and 4/ a are details of the winding head in two positions and ofthe cylindrical coil core having arms being shown in winding and inreleasing positions;

FIG. 5 shows a special elastic web for lacing the coil;

FIG. 6 is a detail of the lacing device, and

FIG. 7 shows the entire course of the web which is ready to be threadedthrough its ear as soon as it has reached its final position.

The wire or cable which is to be wound into coils is fed from a storagereel or production machine, passes through a normal compensating andcollecting device provided with different pairs of pulleys. While saiddevice accumulates the wire it compensates the differences in speedwhich are due to the increase in diameter during the winding up of thecoils whereas the speed of the feed remains constant.

From the compensating device the wire 1 passes through a measuringdevice (FIG. 2) comprising two contacting pulleys 2, 3. The pulley 2 isarranged below the pulley 3 and supports the Wire 1. The pulley 3 has acircumference of one meter and is connected to a worm 4 which is in meshwith a worm wheel 5 provided with one hundred teeth forming gaps ofmetrical subdivision. The worm wheel 5 is mounted on one end of a shaft6 the free end 6' VAILABLE of which carries cams 7 for opening andclosing the different circuits.

The process of winding the coils is initiated on one of twosymmetrically arranged Winders A and B (FIG. 1/ a). The end section ofthe wire is. fixed by hand e.g. to the winder B. Then a motor 8 of themachine is actuated. The Winder A remains at a standstill. A wire guide9 the working range of which is equal to the ellective working width ofthe winder distributes the-wire on the rotating winder. Shortly beforethe coil is finished on the winder B the winder A starts rotating whichis achieved by closing a circuit 10 (FIG. 2) through the intermediary ofone of the cams 7 of the measuring device through which the wire alwayspasses which releases an arresting device 12 (FIG. 1/11) by actuating anelectromagnet 11.

When the coil on the winder B has reached the desired length a secondcircuit 13 (FIG. 2) of the measuring device is closed. This circuitdeenergizes an electromagnet 15 (FIG. 1/ a) and energizes anelectromagnet 16 so as to cause the quick displacement of a guide lever14 of the wire guide 9 in transverse direction and transmit the wire tothe winder A. Due to this displacement of the guide lever 14 the wireleaves the winder B by passing over arms 17 of the Winder B and changesover to the winder A after having passed a sickle-shaped guide 18 whichis provided with a cutting blade 22. The rotating winder A has arms 19one of which engages the wire and pulls it into rotary movement in orderto initiate the winding up of the second coil. The wire is stillconnected to the two synchronously rotating winders and extends throughge sickle-shaped guide 18 which causes the wire to g gg e to its center20 Where the wire is only rotated about its longitudinal axis. Then themeasuring device closes a third circuit 21 which actuates the cuttingblade 22 of the guide 18 e.g. by means of an oil pressure piston 22a andcuts the wire so that the two coils which were connected up to thispoint are separated.

After the cutting operation has been carried out the winder B is stoppedby -a fourth circuit 23 of the measuring device (FIG. 2) which by meansof an electroma-gnet 24 causes the latching of an arresting device 25 sothat the winder is safely stopped in the predetermined position eitherby means of one of a pair of grooves 26 (FIG. 2/ b) which 'are arrangedon the external flange or on the core, said grooves 26 corresponding to-a passage 27 for the lacing web which is released from a lacing group28 which is arranged in the stationary part of the machine directly onthe winder.

By closing a fifth circuit 29 of the measuring device (FIG. 2) a smallmotor 30 (FIG. *I/b) of the lacing group 28 is actuated which by meansof a series of gears actuates pairs of knurled wheels 81 which advancethe lacing web which, while running through the groove 26 arranged onthe sector of the corresponding core and onto the corresponding iarm,completely Wind up the coil until it has reached the point where itenters a funnel '32 for the web. At one pont the web forms an car 33(FIG. 5). As soon as the web has reached its final position in a housing34 in the passage "27 another circuit 35 (=FIG. 7) is closed which stopsthe web and which in the funnel 32 sets in motion another group ofknurled wheels 36 (FIG. 6) which grip the leading end of the web :andpush it through the ear '33. Below the ear 33 a further group of knurledwheels 37 are arranged which grip the leading end of the web in order totighten it around the coil.

Simultaneously the funnel G2, which consists of two halves, opens inorder to release the web. When the web is tightened to a certain degreea friction clutch 38 (FIG. l/b) is operated which through theintermediary of an interruptor 39 stop-s the motor 30 and thus also theknurled wheels 37 as well as the movement of :a :gear sector 40 by meansof a piston 43 through gears '41 and a rack '42.

The gear sector 40 pushes the car 33 of the web against the coil andtightly laces it. The gear sector 40 is provided with a web cutting edge44 at the height of the housing 34,

which edge co-operates with a counter-blade 45 which is arranged abovethe pass-age 27. The end section of the web remaining after the lacingoperation and which is still held by the knurled wheels 37 is cut off bythe cutting edge 44 which is actuated by the gear section 40 whenreturning into its rest position. When the rack 42 returns into itsposit-ion of rest it closes a circuit 47 which releases the arrestingdevice 25 together with the electromagnet 24 and thus actuates thewinder B. The latter, however, is stopped after half a rotation of thearresting device '25 by means of the e-lectronragnet 24 which has againbeen energized due to the closure of the circuit of an interrupter 48.

When the winder B has rotated through it has reached the position wherethe groove for the passage of the lacing web is opposite the passage 27.The device which stops the coil in the exact position for the lacingoperation is the same which has arrested the winder in the precedinglacing operation.

As soon as the winder stops in the second lacing position the operationof the lacing group is initiated which is the same as already carriedout during the first lacing operation.

After the second lacing operation has been carried out, the circuit 47is closed whereby an oil pressure cylinder 49 (FIG. 1/ b) is actuatedthrough a valve which is electrically operated. The oil pressurecylinder 49 entrains a shaft 50 and runs through a hollow shaft 51 ofthe winder whereby the arms 17 are opened and sectors 52 together withthe core and a radial rack 53 are contracted.

Thereafter the circuit of an interrupter 54 is closed and thereby allelements of the winder returned through the intermediary of a cylinder55 into their initial positions. During this return movement of thewinder the coil is engaged by two fixed withdrawing devices whichthrough bores 56 in the flange push the laced and compact coil 01? thecore. The coil is then dropped onto a chute below the winder from whereit is directly or through a constantly running conveyer belt transportedinto a collector.

After the coil has been discharged the winder is axially displaced intoits normal position. The arms 17 or 19, respectively, are brought intoradial positions in order to resume rotating and winding up a new wire.This is initiated before the winding-up operation of the other Winder iscompleted. In this manner the operation is carried out withoutinterruptions and one coil after the other is manufactured byalternately operating the two winders A and B.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changeswhich come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims aretherefore intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. An automatic machine for continuously winding up and lacing athreadlike and flexible product, particularly a wire or cable of smallor medium diameter, said machine comprising two symmetrically andcoaxially arranged heads and a winder supported by each of said heads,said winders being constructed to alternately wind up the product; anelectrical contact controlled guide lever for displacing the productfrom the winder supporting a completed coil onto the winder which isstill empty; and a guide provided with a cutting blade for separatingthe finished coil from the one which is being wound up.

2. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a measuringdevice, a series of electric contacts and a number of cams are providedfor automatically subjecting the wound up coil to at least two lacingoperations on the winder by means of special plastic webs.

3. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein after theseparation of the two coils the winder support ing the completed coil isstopped by means of an arresting device in such a position that a grooveprovided in the exterior flange and in the core of the winder is inalignment with the guide passage for the plastic web so that by means ofa motor the web is advanced by pulling means until the coil is wound up,the passing of the leading end of the web through an ear provided in itstrailing end being effected by pulling means and the tightening of thecoil being carried out by means adapted for cutting off the excess endportion of the web.

4. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein after the firstlacing operation the disengagement of the arresting device causes therotation of the winder through 180 placing it into the second lacingposition, this lacing operation being carried out in the same manner asthe first one.

5. An automatic machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein after carryingout the lacing operations the head is again axially displaced and thecore is simultaneously contracted from cylindrical shape to conicalshape and arms pivoted to the winders are moved in positions parallelrelative to the longitudinal axis of the machine in order to release thelaced coil from the winder by means of two withdrawing devices.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,053,764 9/1936 Chapman 14092.22,698,033 12/1954 Ammann et a1 14092.2 3,065,772 11/ 1962 Amey 140-9223,108,922 10/1963 Possis et al 14092.2

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 29-605

